What’s New in Indigenous Watchdog? Updates as of Dec. 31, 2022

Calls to Action (C2A) Status: Dec. 31, 2022

Not Started	Stalled	In Progress	Complete
14	21	46	13
14.9%	22.3%	48.9%	13.8%

Status	Legacy Calls to Action (1-42) + 50-52, 62-65	Reconciliation Calls to Action (43-94)
Not Started	2, 9, 26, 34, 42, 51, 52, 64	45, 46, 47, 55, 56, 89
Stalled	6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 29, 30, 32	58, 62, 71, 77, 78, 87, 92, 93
Complete	13, 15, 41	49, 59, 67, 68, 70, 80, 83, 84, 85, 94

See also “Perspectives” post for a complete 6-page colour-coded document summarizing all 94 Calls to Action

Calls to Action “technically” COMPLETE that are – in reality – NOT

The following Calls to Action are technically “Complete” but still require extensive followup activity to either implement recommendations coming out of the Call to Action (#s 41, 67, 70) or require more endorsements from provincial and territory jurisdictions (# 80).

C2A # 41 (previously “Stalled”) and C2A # 67 (previously “In Progress”) have now been labelled as “COMPLETE”

C2A	Call to Action Outcome	Comment
41	Appoint public inquiry into MMIWG	Technically complete but National Action Plan to implement ALL 231 Calls to Justice is still very much in progress
67	Fund national review of museum policies and best practices	Funding committed in April 2019; report submitted on Sept. 27, 2022 with 10 recommendations and 30 new standards for implementing UNDRIP
70	Fund national review of archival policies and best practices	Submitted report on Feb. 24, 2022 describing a Reconciliation Framework with 8 Principles, 7 objectives and strategies for achieving objectives
80	Establish National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday	8 provinces representing 93% of the Indigenous population in Canada DO NOT recognize Sept. 30 as a statutory holiday

Changes in Call to Action Status

C2A	Description	Status Change	Why has the Status Changed?
6	Repeal Section 43 of Criminal Code	NOT STARTED to STALLED	Bill 263 introduced in Parliament
41	Appoint public inquiry into MMIWG	STALLED to COMPLETE	See above
67	Fund national review of museum policies and best practices	IN PROGRESS to COMPLETE	See above

Indigenous Watchdog Updates

They following presents a year-to-date statistical snapshot of stakeholder actions across ALL themes that are either advancing reconciliation (Legacy and Reconciliation C2As and Government Commitments) or creating roadblocks (Current Problems)

Section	2020	2021	Feb. 11, 2022	May 13, 2022	July 4, 2022	Aug. 20, 2022	Oct. 16, 2022	Dec. 2, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	YTD
Current Reality	26	47	7	12	9	6	10	4	2	50
Current Problems	189	213	15	44	40	42	54	68	52	315
Legacy C2As	96	159	20	27	19	22	34	55	11	188
Reconciliation C2As	55	88	8	20	21	19	18	27	4	117
Govt. Commitments	–	–	–	8	6	4	11	12	7	48
Total	366	507	50	111	95	93	127	166	76	718
Other Issues	–	–	–	8	11	13	16	16	14	78
Indigenous Success Stories	–	–	–	17	13	9	14	9	3	65

Notes:

• Current Reality includes ALL 94 Calls to Action
• Legacy C2As, Reconciliation C2As and Government Commitments represent positive steps that advance reconciliation
• Current Problems includes all “Calls to Action” plus “Other Issues” and “Government Commitments to Truth and Reconciliation
• “Other Issues” presents information on Drinking Water Advisories, Food Insecurity, Urban Commitments to Reconciliation, Housing, Environment and Treaties and Land Claims

New Sections

Section	Call to Action Theme	Where located
Indigenous Birthing Practices	Child Welfare	C2A # 1 Landing Page
Bill C-273	Education	C2A # 6 Landing Page
UN International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2023)	Language and Culture	Home Page: Background Content
English Alphabet Privilege over Indigenous Languages	Language and Culture	C2A # 17 Landing Page
Challenges for Special Interlocutor	Missing Children and Unmarked Graves	Home Page: Current Problems
Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool and Indigenous Media	Media and Reconciliation	Home Page: Background Content

Government Commitments to Truth and Reconciliation

Jurisdiction	Date	Indigenous Group
BC	Dec. 8	FN	BC Assembly of First Nations welcomes BC Cabinet restructuring and new members
Federal	Dec. 9	FN, M, I	Minister Wilkinson releases Canada’s $3.8B Critical Minerals Strategy to seize generational opportunity for cleaner, inclusive growth
Federal	Dec. 13	M	Métis National Council and Canada sign MOU on Métis health and wellness
Federal	Dec. 13	FN, M, I	Access to Information Review’s final report including “What We Heard report on Indigenous Consultations”
Federal	Dec. 14	M	Leaders of Métis National Council and Governing members and Cabinet Ministers meet and reconfirm commitment to the Canada-Métis Nation Accord
Federal	Dec. 16	FN, M, I	Canada continues to support Indigenous groups across the country to advance self-determination and rebuild their nations
Manitoba	Dec. 21	FN, M	Manitoba government launches EngageMB Survey to inform “New Water Action Plan“

Current Problems with Government Commitments to Truth and Reconciliation

Update to “First Nations, “Métis”, “Inuit“

Dec. 5, 2022: Report finds Indigenous NWT employees largely working entry-level jobs

Update to “First Nations”, “Inuit“

Dec. 5, 2022: Systemic Racism and Discrimination: A clear message sent to the government of Québec

Update to “First Nations”, “Métis”, “Inuit“

Dec. 15, 2022: At this rate, Canada won’t meet Truth and Reconciliation Calls until 2065, Yellowhead report suggests

Legacy Calls to Action

CHILD WELFARE

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Bill C-92“: Federal, Québec

Dec. 5, 2022: AFN will continue to fight for First Nations jurisdiction as affirmed in an “Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families“

Update to “Bill C-92”: Northwest Territories

Dec. 12, 2022: NWT says federal Indigenous child and families act infringes on Territorial Authority

Update to “Canadian Human Rights Tribunal”

Dec. 9, 2022: AFN First Nations-in-Assembly pass resolution by consensus on compensation for children and families

Update to “Child and Youth Advocate Reports”: BC

Dec. 12, 2022: Children’s Advocate questions BC’s ability to overhaul foster-care system after death of Cree teen

Update to “Canadian Human Rights Tribunal”

Dec. 22, 2022: Human Rights Tribunal says Indigenous Services Minister and Assembly of First Nations misled public on $20B child welfare deal

Call to Action # 1

Federal, provincial and territory governments to commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care

Update to “Indigenous-led Initiatives”

Dec. 5, 2022: Indigenous-led program unites families, diverts kids from child welfare system in 98% of cases

Update to “Actions and Commitments”: BC

Dec. 21, 2022: First rent supplements begin for youth from care in BC

Home Page – Background Content

NEW SECTION: Indigenous Birthing Practices

Dec. 18, 2022: Why Indigenous women are bringing ‘the first ceremony’ – birth – back to their communities

Call to Action # 4

Federal government to enact Indigenous child welfare legislation

Update to “Bill C-92”:

Dec. 18, 2022: How one First Nation aims to break the cycle of trauma with new child ‘well-being’ law

EDUCATION

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Indigenous identity“

Dec. 14, 2022: Rescind Turpel-Lafond’s honorary degrees or we’ll return ours, say high profile Indigenous women

Call to Action # 6

Federal government to repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code

STATUS CHANGE from “NOT STARTED” to “STALLED” – NEW SECTION: Bill 263

Dec. 8, 2022: NDP urges House of Commons to pass bill banning spanking, physical punishment of children

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Indigenous Languages in Canada “

Dec. 21, 2022: Racism report’s idea for naming river ‘Wolastoq Saint John’ is tone-deaf, chief says

Home Page – Background Content

NEW SECTION: UN International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2023)

Dec. 6, 2022: First Nations National Action Plan: UN International Decade of indigenous Languages (2022-2023

Update to “Indigenous Cultural Success”: Ontario

Dec. 22, 2022: Establishment of Indigenous Cultural Integrity Advisory Committee

Call to Action # 17

Federal, provincial and territory governments to enable residential school survivors to reclaim Indigenous names

NEW SECTION: English Alphabet Privilege over Indigenous Languages

Dec. 9, 2022: OPINION: Can’t read ‘c̓aləχʷəlenəx’? For Indigenous Canadian’s, that’s a point of pride

HEALTH

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Ongoing Health Crisis”: Federal

Dec. 2, 2022: Government of Canada announces nearly $10M to support Indigenous communities to address substance-related harms

Update to ‘Ongoing Health Crisis”: Québec

Dec. 20, 2022: A hospital in northern Québec could cut down on the long journey to Montreal for medical travel

Update to “Joyce’s Principle”

Dec. 5, 2022: Systemic Racism and Discrimination: A clear message sent to the government of Québec

Update to: Systemic Racism”: QC

Dec. 2, 2022: Bill on cultural safety in health coming, Québec says, following forced sterilization study

Update to “Systemic Racism”: Manitoba

Dec. 9, 2022: The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs calls on province to reconsider decision to close E.M. Crowe Memorial Hospital in Eriksdale, Manitoba

Update to “Systemic Racism”: Ontario

Dec. 9, 2022: Panel to assess Indigenous patient care after death of a young women in St. Catherines

Update to “Systemic Racism”: Nunavut, QC

Dec. 15, 2022: When their child’s doctor is 2,800 kms away, Inuit families face tough choices

Update to ‘Systemic Racism”: Manitoba

Dec. 20, 2022: Province releases “Health Status of Manitobans Report” – the gap in health problems between Indigenous communities and other people is widening

Call to Action # 21

Federal government to provide ongoing funding for existing and new Aboriginal Healing Centres

Update to “Investments in Indigenous Healing Centres”

Dec. 13, 2022: Canada and the Witset First Nation partner to launch the Witset Youth Healing Lodge project

Call to Action # 22

All those who can effect change within the health care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices

Update to “Medical Organization Commitments””

Dec. 7, 2022: First Nations Health Mangers Association and Canadian Partnership Against Cancer Relationship Agreement

Call to Action # 23

Federal, provincial and territory governments to increase the hiring and retention of Indigenous healthcare workers

Update to “Current Reality”

Dec. 20, 2022: Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) and Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association (CINA) release Indigenous Nursing Student and Faculty Survey Report 2020-2021

Update to “Actions and Commitments: Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing”

Dec. 20, 2022: Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) and Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association (CINA) release Indigenous Nursing Student and Faculty Survey Report 2020-2021

Call to Action # 24

Medical and Nursing Schools to ensure all students take a course on Indigenous health issues and history

Update to “Commitments to Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety”: Nova Scotia

Dec. 15, 2022: New Indigenous cultural safety training for heath care providers

JUSTICE

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Systemic Racism”: Federal, Manitoba

Dec. 5, 2022: Native Women’s Association of Canada calls out Canada for doing little to stop genocide following killing of four women in Winnipeg

Update to “Systemic Racism”: Federal

Dec. 6, 2022: Race and gender discrimination fuel violence against Indigenous women”

Update to “Systemic Racism”: New Brunswick

Dec. 16, 2022: Systemic Racism report calls for New Brunswick task force NOT the Inquiry sought by First Nations

Update to “Systemic Racism in Policing”: Ontario

Dec. 5, 2022: Assembly of First Nations stands with Kiashke Zaaging Anishinabek (Gull Bay First Nation) in action against Canada for inequitable funding and support for First Nation Police Services

Update to “Systemic Racism in Policing”: Québec

Dec. 21, 2022: Unanimous decision of the Québec Court of Appeal: Governments urged to end underfunding of Indigenous police services across Canada

Update to “Legislative and Institutional Barriers”: BC

Dec. 6, 2022: Tŝilhqot’in question amendments to Bill C21

Update to “Court Challenges“: Federal

Dec. 21, 2022: Indian Day School (IDS) survivors demand fair timeline to seek compensation

Update to “Target Indigenous Groups”: BC

Nov. 28, 2022: ‘Stonewalled’: Trans Mountain hides dealings with private security and spy firms

Update to “Targeted Indigenous Groups”: Manitoba

Dec. 8, 2022: Assembly of First Nations stands with family of Morgan Beatrice Harris and all MMIWG2S+ demanding dignity and justice

Update to “Targeted Indigenous Groups”: Manitoba

Dec. 6, 2022: Daughters of murdered Winnipeg woman call on police to recover remains from landfill

Update to “Targeted Indigenous Groups”: Manitoba

Dec. 13, 2022: Indigenous groups call for federal government to fund searches of Winnipeg area landfills for remains

Update to “Targeted Indigenous Groups”: Ontario

Dec. 12, 2022: A lifetime of agony: families of missing, murdered Inuit women call for answers

Update to “Targeted Indigenous Groups”: Manitoba

Dec. 26, 2022: Almost a fifth of Winnipeg’s homicides this year involved Indigenous women. These are their stories

Call to Action# 41

Appoint public inquiry into MMIWG

Update to “Government Commitments to Preventing Violence Against Indigenous Women”: Federal

Dec. 5, 2022: Berens River First Nation and the Government of Canada launch Chief Elsie Bouchie Cultural Camp to revitalize Anishinaabe culture

Update to “Government Commitments to Preventing Violence Against Indigenous Women”: Nunavut, NWT

Dec.16, 2022: Almost $500K will help Ulukhaktok women’s society protect Inuit

Update to “Government Commitments to Preventing Violence Against Indigenous Women”: Ontario

Dec. 21, 2022: Canada and Big Grassy First Nation partner to launch the Big Grassy First Nation Cultural Space and Shelter Building Project

Reconciliation Calls to Action

UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

Call to Action # 44

Federal government to develop national action plan and strategies to achieve UNDRIP goals

Update to “Working Group on Review of Laws and Policies

Dec. 13, 2022: Amendments to come to federal legislation following First Nations input

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR RECONCILIATION

Update to “Current Reality”

Dec. 14, 2022: Bill C-29, “National Council for Reconciliation Act” is in Second Reading in the Senate after passing 3rd Reading in House of Commons on Dec. 11, 2022 by a vote of 315 to 0

MUSEUMS AND ARCHIVES

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “National Gallery of Canada”

Dec. 13, 2022: National Art Gallery’s decolonization strategy questioned after staffing abruptly dismissed

MISSING CHILDREN AND BURIAL INFORMATION

Home Page – Current Problems

NEW SECTION: Challenges for Special Interlocutor

Dec. 7, 2022: New details coming to light says Special Interlocutor on unmarked graves and missing children

MEDIA AND RECONCILIATION

Home Page – Background Content

NEW SECTION: Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool and Indigenous Media

Dec. 9, 2022: Study supports growth of Indigenous university journalists in modern media

Call to Action # 86

Schools of Journalism to establish Indigenous History and culture course for all media schools

Update to” Canadian Association of Journalists”

Dec. 21, 2022: Canadian Association of Journalists releases annual “National Canadian Newsroom Diversity Survey” results

BUSINESS AND RECONCILIATION

Call to Action # 92

Corporate Canada to adopt UNDRIP as a reconciliation framework, apply to policy and operations

Update to “Individual Business Initiatives”

Dec. 6, 2022: Ring of Fire Metals and Webequie First Nation sign MOU on Ring of Fire development

Other Issues

SUICIDE PREVENTION

Update to “Suicide Prevention Initiatives”

Dec. 9, 2022: Métis Nation of BC and LivingWorks partner to provide comprehensive suicide prevention training to Métis communities in BC

DRINKING WATER ADVISORIES

Update to “Current Reality”

Dec. 14, 2022: Update Infographic and Table: 31 DWA still in effect in 27 Indigenous communities: 82% completion rate

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Class Action Lawsuit”

Dec. 7, 2022: Individuals who lived on a First Nation that had a long-term DWA for more than a year are encouraged to submit a claim for compensation

Update to “Class Action Lawsuit”

Dec. 15, 2022: Residents from dozens of Saskatchewan First Nations qualify for compensation

Update to “State of Emergency”: Federal, Ontario

Dec. 20, 2022: State of Emergency declared amid water shortage in Oneida Nation of the Thames

Update to “Class Action Lawsuit”

Dec. 27, 2022: Oji-Cree First Nation frustrated as majority of community members ineligible for drinking water settlement

HOUSING

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Federal Budgets”

Dec. 4, 2022: Investments in Inuit housing inadequate, federal watchdog says

Home Page – Background Content

Update to “Government Programs”: Ontario

Dec. 9, 2022: Ontario investing in affordable housing in Thunder Bay

Update to “Government Programs”: Ontario

Dec. 15, 2022: Ontario providing more affordable housing in Cambridge

Update to “Government Programs”: Yukon

Dec. 15, 2022: Government of Yukon’s Office of the Auditor General’s Report Work Plan will enhance support for vulnerable Yukoners

Update to “Homelessness”: BC

Dec. 14, 2022: Thirty new shelters coming to Port Alberni

URBAN COMMITMENTS TO RECONCILIATION

Home Page – Background Content

Update to “Individual Municipal Commitments”: Calgary

Dec. 6, 2022: Historic Partnership hopes to provide better support services for Indigenous families in Calgary

Update to “Urban Aboriginal Strategy”

Dec. 14, 2022: The Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec launches work to create the Observatory of Urban Indigenous Realities

ENVIRONMENT

Home Page – Current Problems

Update to “Climate Change”

Dec. 2, 2022: Government of Canada invests $3.8M to support barren-ground caribou conservation in the NWT

Update to “Climate Change”

Dec. 13, 2022: Indigenous People’s have been the most effective stewards of animals and nature since time immemorial

Update to “Specific Industry Environmental Issues”

Dec. 8, 2022: Tahltan’s decades-long struggle to protect Sacred Headwaters

Update to ‘Environmental Impacts”

Dec. 13, 2022: Documents raise concerns feds backing off commitment to phase out fish farms in BC by 2025

Home Page – Background Content

Update to “Indigenous Leadership Initiatives: Guardians”

Dec. 7, 2022: Federal government commits to developing conservation finance model for Great Bear Sea Dec. 7, 2022: Protecting more nature in partnership with Indigenous Peoples Dec. 9, 2022: Indigenous Guardians connected by new national network in Canada: the first of its kind in the world Dec. 14, 2022: Government of Canada and Manitoba and four First Nations zero in on a new Indigenous Protected Area in one of the world’s largest ecologically intact watersheds Dec. 15, 2022: The promise and peril of Canada’s approach to Indigenous Protected Areas Dec. 20, 2022: Massive intact lake in NWT to become Indigenous Protected Area: the Narwhal

TREATIES AND LAND CLAIMS

Home Page – Current problems

Update to “Aboriginal Rights and Title”: Federal

Dec. 8, 2022: First Nations leaders reject Trudeau’s proposed gun law, citing risk to treaty rights

Update to “Aboriginal Rights and Title”: Alberta and Saskatchewan

Dec. 7, 2022: First Nations demand withdrawal of proposed Alberta Sovereignty, Saskatchewan First acts

Update to “Aboriginal Rights and Title”: BC

Dec. 9, 2022: Coastal GasLink protesters sentenced after pleading guilty to criminal contempt

Update to “Aboriginal Rights and Title”: Federal, BC

Dec. 11, 2022: Delgamuukw 25 years on: How Canada has undermined the landmark decision on Indigenous land rights

Update to “Aboriginal Rights and Title”: Alberta

Dec. 14, 2022: Smith apologizes over Indian Act comparison after remarks make some First Nations chiefs bristle

Update to “Aboriginal Rights and Title”: Alberta

Dec. 19, 2022: Onion Lake First Nation files lawsuit challenging Alberta’s Sovereignty Act

Update to “Aboriginal Rights and Title”: Alberta

Dec.29, 2022: Why Indigenous leaders are speaking out against ‘sovereignty’ efforts in Alberta and Saskatchewan

Update to “Court Challenges”: Ontario

Dec. 12, 2022: For generations, Grassy Narrows residents have used the land for hunting. Now it’s in the middle of a lawsuit between Canadian mining corporations

Update to “Duty to Consult”: Ontario

Dec. 15, 2022: Matawa Chiefs Council call on Government of Canada to stop the colonial backroom deals and establish a dedicated federal crown table to prepare for the development of the Ring of Fire region’s critical minerals

Update to “Indigenous Laws and Governance”: Nova Scotia

Dec 19, 2022: Conflict over new Indigenous lobster fishery continues to smoulder amid some progress

INDIGENOUS SUCCESS STORIES

Theme	Date	Indigenous Group	Comment
Business	Dec. 5	First Nation	CCAB, announces the recipients of the 2023 Business Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Young Aboriginal Entrepreneur Award
Treaties & Land Claims	Dec. 19	First Nations	Naawi-Oodena officially becomes largest urban reserve in Canada after repatriation of Winnipeg barracks
Urban Commitments	Dec. 31	First Nations	‘This is Ktinaxa’. Indigenous elder and Order of Canada recipient Sophie Pierre on a lifetime of leadership and change in BC’s Kootenays